Inuyasha: A Lyrical Persuasion
by CrazyGirlFortySeven
Summary: What do a newly-graduated university student and an angry rock star have in common? A lot of history. When Kagome is reunited with her ex-boyfriend Inuyasha will the love they felt be revived, or will they allow their past to dictate their future?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: ****Rumiko Takahashi is the brilliant creator of**** Inuyasha. Jane Austen is the author of the classic novel ****Persuasion****. The song 'I hate everything about you' was written by Adam Gontier, and preformed by the band 'Three Day's Grace'. No money is being made from this work, and copyright infringement is not intended.**

What do a newly-graduated university student and an angry rock star have in common? A lot of history, apparently. When Kagome is unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend Inuyasha will the love they felt be revived, or will they allow their past dictate their future?

**Chapter 1**

The air in the park buzzed with excitement, and despite her previously ambivalent attitude, Kagome found it catching. Strings of lights had been draped from the trees and gave the foliage an ethereal glow in the deepening dusk. If the performers gave half as much attention to their music as the organizers had to the appearance of the stage and surrounding venue, it would be a great show. "I'm so glad you decided to come with us," Sango said, linking their arms together as they began to push through the growing crowd.

"Sango, let go," Kohaku grumbled and attempted to shake off his sister's hold. Kagome laughed. She didn't think she had ever heard Sango's serious little brother sound like the sixteen-year-old he was. She remembered a time, not so long ago, when he would have been the one to grab his sister's hand.

"Not a chance," Sango said firmly, tugging them both through the milling throng and towards the open stage where the band would be performing. "If Kagome and I had to buy tickets to see this 'Miasma' band you've been talking about so much, we're going to at least be able to see their faces."

"I don't see why Father wouldn't let me come by myself," Kohaku muttered, though he allowed himself to be dragged along by his assertive older sister.

"When I told my mother I was coming to a rock concert with you two she was nervous even though I'm twenty two," Kagome admitted with a laugh. "Your father just wants you to be careful. It's a mixed crowd, after all."

"I'm not a child," Kohaku grumbled, but he seemed soothed by her words. Although these days humans and youkai lived together in relative peace, Mr. Yajima often saw the worst of both worlds through his job in law enforcement. Kagome wasn't surprised he was hesitant to allow his children to attend a rock concert hosted by a band that was named 'Miasma'.

They reached a small alcove only meters away from the stage and Sango grinned in triumph. Kagome looked up at the speaker that was suspended almost directly over their heads and forced herself not to grimace. There was probably a good reason no one had chosen to stand in this particular spot. Before she had time to point out the downside of their new position the spotlights burst to life and the crowd cheered with enthusiastic anticipation. Sango whooped and Kohaku shifted his feet with stifled excitement. Kagome teasingly elbowed the boy and his attempt at stoicism shattered. He hollered and clapped with the rest of the audience when a figure stepped onto the stage.

"I don't think I've ever seen such tight pants on a man before," Kagome yelled into Sango's ear causing her to laugh and nod in agreement. The vocalist strode forward and the thud of his heavy boots reverberated in the hollow structure of the temporary stage. His longish black hair was pulled back into a loose tail at the back of his neck and the upper portion of his ear glinted with a piercing. He quickly rolled back the sleeves of his purple dress-shirt and grasped the microphone.

"Welcome! It's a pleasure to be here with all of you tonight!" he yelled, and Kagome was surprised by the even timbre of his voice. Sango had warned her that the band's music was famous for their angry lyrics. This man's smooth tenor sounded almost too polished for a rock band. "We'll be starting in just a few moments!"

"I thought this was a youkai group," Kagome said, laughing as her friend cheered enthusiastically. Sango had claimed that she had only wanted to come to this concert to appease Kohaku, but Kagome was beginning to see that her friend hadn't been entirely honest with her.

"Miroku Tsujitani is the only human member of the band," Kohaku supplied when it became obvious that Sango hadn't heard her question. The speaker hummed to life above them and the sounds of a tuning guitar rattled Kagome's skull. The crowd quieted for a moment before the other members of the band filed onstage.

A tall, good-looking wolf demon seated himself behind the drum set and began to pound out a steady beat. He flashed a fanged grin and the noise of the spectators surged. An elegant demon strode on stage carrying a sleek, blue electric guitar and the female faction of the audience screamed their appreciation. Kagome thought the striped dog demon was pretty enough to be a girl. His waist-length silver hair flowed loose and his broad shoulders were clad in a light purple dress-shirt. Kagome looked away, the excitement of the moment tempered by memories of regret. If it wasn't for the facial makings and the elfin ears, the guitarist would have looked just like _him_.

The bass guitar began to pulse in time to the drumbeat and the last member of 'Miasma' clomped onstage. Kagome found she couldn't hear anything at all above the sound of her own rapid heart-beat. Of all the possible places she had ever imagined meeting him again, she had never once considered a rock concert. He scowled and kicked a dial on the stage with his foot, honing the sound of his guitar to perfection. His hair long was braided down his back, and like the lead singer, he had folded up the sleeves of his crimson dress-shirt.

He was even more beautiful than he'd been four years ago.

"I gotta go, Sango," Kagome said, failing to notice that the vocalist had begun to sing. She tugged Sango's hand, and the girl turned towards her, startled. "I have to go," Kagome repeated. "I'm really sorry."

"What? Why?" Sango demanded.

"You stay here. Enjoy the music," Kagome said and slipped away from her friends. Sango yelled after her, but Kagome didn't turn around.

She had to get out of here now, before he noticed her. "Coward. You're a coward, Kagome," she muttered to herself. Ever since their final argument, she had dreamed of the words she would say to him if she ever got the chance. Now that there was a real possibility she might speak with him she found that her courage had forsaken her. Though she knew she'd hurt him, he'd hurt her just as deeply. She chanced a look over her shoulder, and froze when she was pierced by a golden-eyed gaze. She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

"...all the feelings that I get, but I still don't miss you yet..." The words tore through her painfully. Had this song been written about her? She wanted to run, but even if his eyes had not anchored her where she stood, the crowd would have stopped her from making any real progress. Kagome was quite certain she did not want to hear the rest of this song, but the lyrics continued. "Only when I stop to think about it..."

The music paused and the entire crowd seemed to hold their breath. Inuyasha opened his mouth, and spoke directly to her.

"I hate everything about you."

Kagome fled.

**xxxxx**

The sweet scent reached his nose almost the minute he stepped onto the stage. He didn't realize what it was at first, but then he felt his demon half stir restlessly within him and it all came flooding back. How was it possible that he could still recognize her scent after four fucking years? She was in the middle of a crowd, but was _still_ able to pick out her sweet fragrance. He scanned the mob of spectators and was suddenly furious that she'd invaded his domain.

What the fuck was the bitch doing here? Why the hell wasn't she in Japan? He heard a woman call her name and it was almost enough to make him falter. "Kagome," the woman near the stage cried a second time and began pushing her way back through the crowd. He almost allowed himself to sneer when he realized that she had run away. Painful resentment threatened to choke him. That dark-haired woman would never manage to catch her, he thought sourly. Kagome was quite good at abandoning people.

Though he tried to keep his mind on the music, his eyes drifted to the sea of faces before him. His fingers missed a fret when he saw the woman dressed in the conservative yellow sweater and blue patterned dress. Oh god. She hadn't changed at all.

She cast a furtive look over her shoulder and paused like a frightened rabbit when she realized his eyes were upon her. Her face paled and suddenly he was filled with vengeful anger. He'd loved her. She'd left him.

"I hate everything about you," he said, and he meant every word.

Afterwards, he didn't know how he managed to last through the entire set. Inuyasha strode off the stage while the last notes of their final song still hung suspended in the air. "Where ya goin', Dogshit?" Kouga called after him. The fucking asshole never knew when to leave him alone, he fumed. "We still have an encore." He pivoted on his heel and stalked back to the front of the raised platform. He ripped his guitar strap off his shoulders and savagely swung the instrument against the edge of the stage. There was a satisfying pop of sparks as the internal circuitry was destroyed. He lifted the neck a second time intending to reduce his bass to match sticks, but he found a strong fist grasping his wrist.

"You will cease this pointless display," his half-brother hissed quietly.

"You bet I will," Inuyasha growled and dropped what was left of the guitar's neck. It clattered loudly against the hollow flooring. It was only then that Inuyasha realized the crowd was nearly howling with excitement. He yanked his arm out of Sesshomaru's hold and stormed away.

God damn it. He'd really liked that guitar.

**xxxxx**

She blindly fled from the concert, hurrying out of the temporary gates that had been erected and trying to escape the harsh sound of his furious voice. The part of her that wasn't reeling from the unexpected encounter was oddly proud of how successful he had managed to become in her absence. His band must have been very well known if they were capable of attracting such a large, enthusiastic crowd. Unfortunately, the rest of her felt the need to vomit. He'd just told the whole world that he hated her.

She moved out of the well-lit area and shakily sunk to the ground beside a cherry tree some distance behind the concert. She didn't sob – her throat was too tight for that. Instead, her tears came silently.

She'd honestly begun to wonder if she'd ever see him again. Four years was a long time, and their parting hadn't exactly been genial. Now she wondered if she might have been better off ignorant to his fame.

Kagome leaned back against the rough bark of the tree and closed her eyes. His voice had always had a soothing effect on her; even when he was yelling she managed to enjoy its gruff timbre. She remembered once she had teased him about his hair-trigger attitude. She told him that 'passionate' sounded better than 'evil tempered' but the later had more truth to it. He'd laughed and told her that he'd always be passionate about her. She sniffled and hastily wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater.

Listening to him sing, she realized that he'd matured. She knew that seeing her in the crowd couldn't have been easy for him, but he had continued to perform like the professional musician he now was. He'd moved on with his life just like she'd moved on with hers.

She fumbled with the chain around her neck and at last she managed to unclasp it with her shaking fingers. A simple gold band hung at its centre in the place of a more traditional pendant. She held the ring up and ran the pad of her index finger carefully over the word etched into the metal. "Koishii," she whispered. Even though she couldn't read the inscription in the darkness, the word was burned into her mind.

Once, long ago, she'd been his beloved.

**xxxxx**

Inuyasha leaned against the edge of the stage, for once letting Sesshomaru's cold, furious voice simply wash over him. He honestly couldn't care less that he'd managed to piss off his half-brother. "I will not allow anyone in this band to stoop to such childish theatrics. It is pointless to destroy an instrument for the sake of paltry entertainment." Inuyasha blinked to keep his eyes from glazing over and at some length the asshole stopped his sanctimonious tirade. "Is that clear, half-breed?" he hissed.

"Right. Got it. Won't do it again," Inuyasha said shortly and walked away. If he had been feeling a bit more like himself he probably would have found Sesshomaru's incredulous look amusing.

But then, if he'd been more like himself he would have never even considered destroying his guitar like that. He'd just... he'd let her get under his skin. "Fucking Wench," he growled. His eyes widened when he realized he'd inadvertently used his old nickname for her. He growled, furious with himself for the slip. "Conniving, selfish bitch," he tried again, but found that calling her names did little to make him feel better.

"Is everything alright, my friend?" Miroku asked, walking over to where Inuyasha stood on the stage, surveying the wreckage of his bass.

"I'm fine," he said tightly and knelt to begin collecting the fragments of his poor guitar.

"I haven't seen you this agitated for ages," Miroku continued.

"Yeah, what gives, Mutt-face?" Kouga demanded, as he began to dismantle the drum set. "What's happened to your naturally sunny disposition?"

"Fuck you," Inuyasha snapped. There was no way he'd be able to get the guitar repaired. The lower part of the neck had been reduced to kindling and the circuitry had been smashed to shit.

"So it's a woman, then," Miroku said and rubbed his chin in amused speculation. "Has a lady at last managed to catch your eye? Did you pull that stunt in an attempt to impress her?"

"None of your fuckin' business," he repeated, his voice reduced to a snarl. If they only knew...

"Kagome!" a worried voice cried, and Inuyasha swore as he managed to impale his finger with a sizable wooden splinter. He looked up to see the dark haired woman from earlier wandering about in the empty pit. A boy followed some distance behind her with his hands in his pockets. A hawk-like security guard watched over them both.

"What the hell are they doing here?! I thought that everyone had been cleared out," Inuyasha hissed, glancing up at his band mates. Kouga shrugged and went back to packing up his cymbals.

"Excuse me, Miss, what seems to be the problem?" Miroku called and vaulted off the stage. Inuyasha scoffed. It seemed that everyone was intent on breaking Sesshomaru's rules tonight. Miroku had been warned on numerous occasions that he was forbidden to 'fraternize' with members of the audience. Not that Sesshomaru's severe warnings had ever stopped the man from trying.

"My friend – I can't find her anywhere," the woman said and her voice trembled with worry. Inuyasha sighed irritably. This woman was exactly the type the letch liked to harass. It was obvious that she had attended the concert by the way she was dressed, but she was not some shrinking violet. This woman was not afraid to look them in the eye just because they were members of the band.

"Maybe she met someone she liked better than you," Inuyasha offered, unable to stop the vitriol from escaping his mouth. His past was determined to haunt him tonight.

"Kagome's not like that," the boy said with startling vehemence. Kagome had managed to get to the kid, Inuyasha realized with a start. Fuck! The boy couldn't be more than sixteen – he was just a _child_! Inuyasha savagely smothered the jealousy that boiled within him. "Kagome wouldn't just go off with some stranger."

"Maybe he wasn't a stranger," Inuyasha snapped, and the boy's face pinched with anger.

"We drove here together," the woman said, shaking her head in a way that made her ponytail swing like a pendulum. "She doesn't have any money with her. She doesn't even have her house keys," she said and fished a key-ring out of her right pocket as if they required proof. "We can't just leave without her."

"If you'll both come with me," the security guard intoned, "It's clear that your friend isn't here."

"Now, let's not be too hasty," Miroku protested, cupping the woman's waist and guiding her away from the security guard and towards the venue's exit. The woman looked over at him in surprise and a light blush rose to her cheeks. "I'd be happy to help you search for your friend."

"Like a sheep to the slaughter," Inuyasha muttered, causing Kouga to snort with amusement behind him.

"Aren't you going to play chaperone?" Kouga asked, nodding towards the disappearing pair. The boy continued to trail a few paces behind, scanning the area with anxious eyes.

"Keh! Why the hell should I?" Inuyasha demanded.

"So your brother doesn't eviscerate our lead singer?" Kouga supplied with a quirk of his eyebrows. "Wow. I mean, you're usually a bucket of laughs, Dog-breath, but today you're in rare form. What gives?"

"I just don't want to help Miroku fish some slut out of the bushes," Inuyasha snapped.

"If you won't do it for the missing friend, why not do it for Ponytail? I wouldn't wish that letch on anyone," Kouga shuddered dramatically. He set the snare on the stage and folded its stand.

"If you care so much, why don't you play the fucking nurse-maid?" he snarled, his short temper wearing thin.

"And get on your brother's bad side? Hell no. I got more sense than that, even if you and the Monk don't. Plus, he's already pissed at _you_."

"That's real chivalrous, Wolf-shit," Inuyasha muttered, rising to his feet. God damn it. He knew Kouga wasn't going to let this go until he agreed to go after Miroku. "Fine," he said tightly and leapt off the stage. "I'll go find the bitch."

"Good dog," the other demon cooed. Inuyasha threw a rude gesture over his shoulder as he left the makeshift arena.

As soon as he passed out of the ring of light Inuyasha allowed himself to sigh. Kagome was incredibly selfish for allowing her friends to worry like this. He breathed deeply and began to follow her scent trail. He stopped when he saw the girl, kneeling at the base of a cherry tree. Her head was pillowed against her arms and her knees were drawn up tightly against her chest. She reeked of misery.

"Bitch," he said gruffly. Her head shot up and she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Go find your friends. Ponytail is frantic."

"Sango?" she whispered and her eyes widened. "Oh god," she moaned, "she's going to kill me for leaving her like that." Inuyasha scoffed and the girl seemed to realize her poor choice of words. "I mean…"

"Whatever," he said shortly but his voice sounded brittle even to his own ears. "Just get outta here. I don't want to see you." She sniffled and nodded stiffly.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," she said so softly he could barely make out her words.

"Whatever," he repeated. He turned on his heel and left her alone in the darkness.

He headed into the underbrush after Miroku and caught up with the trio with relatively little effort. "Ah, Inuyasha," his friend greeted him with a wide smile. "Have you come to join the search party?"

"Sesshomaru will kill you one day, you know?" he muttered and the other man shrugged his shoulders good-naturedly. "We have work to do. The girl will come back on her own."

"But…" Ponytail began to protest.

"You're welcome to wait at the stage," Miroku said in a conciliating tone. "There's no point getting lost in the woods. Your friend has probably noticed that the concert's over and is looking for you as well."

"He's probably right," the twerp piped up. "Let's go back. She's probably waiting for us."

"Alright," the girl said, although she didn't sound very convinced.

**A/N: This story was inspired by Jane Austen's ****Persuasion**** although it follows the original very loosely. Austen's novel is one of my favourites, and in my opinion it is much more romantic than ****Pride and Prejudice****. I don't intend this story to be a 'song fic', but I will reference song lyrics occasionally when I feel they add to the overall plot.**

**I'll be taking a bit of a break from my other story, 'Second Time's the Charm', so that I can edit some parts that are starting to bother me. In the meantime I'll be working on this. Hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: ****Rumiko Takahashi is the brilliant creator of**** Inuyasha. Jane Austen is the author of the classic novel ****Persuasion****. No money is being made from this work, and copyright infringement is not intended.**

**Chapter 2 – Less Than An Acquaintance **

Kagome wiped her eyes and ran her fingers quickly through her dishevelled hair. She knew that she probably looked a mess but there was very little she could do to change that. It hardly mattered what she looked like, she thought with a twinge of self-pity, Inuyasha already hated her. What difference did it make if she had swollen, bloodshot eyes? Even if he hadn't caught her crying, he would still have smelled her tears.

Inuyasha had come looking for her. Did it mean something or was he just trying to make her go away? Their short conversation had hardly been spectacular. She'd barely managed to breathe her apology. His terse response of 'whatever' was less than encouraging. She had so much she wanted to say to him but she had found herself paralyzed in his presence.

She couldn't believe she'd run out on Sango like that. Her friend was probably worried sick. She heaved herself to her feet and brushed off her rumpled dress. The last thing she wanted to do was to return to the stage, but she couldn't hide out here forever. Inuyasha had come to personally remind her of that.

When she stepped into the well lit performance arena Sango called her name and rushed forward to envelope her in a tight hug. "Oh, Kagome!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're alright."

"Yeah," she replied weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry to worry you like that, Sango" she said, acutely aware that their reunion was being watched by Inuyasha and two other members of 'Miasma'.

"You shouldn't have disappeared like that," Kohaku chided her softly. "We were worried about you." Kagome blushed and looked away, ashamed that she'd been so caught up in her own turmoil. She hadn't realized how much trouble she was causing her friends when she had left the performance.

"Is everything alright, Miss?" the lead singer inquired courteously. "You gave your friends here quite the scare. What happened?"

Kagome blinked. They had no idea who she was, she realized with a flash of startling clarity. Inuyasha hadn't said a word. "I um, ran into someone I knew," she said, looking Inuyasha in the eye. She'd follow his lead. She owed him that much.

"Whaddya know," the wolf demon said with some amusement. "Mutt-face was actually right about something."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "Can it, Flea-bag," he snapped irritably.

"Kagome's not like that," Kohaku protested hotly, making her frown with confusion. What exactly had they said about her? It couldn't have been complimentary if Sango's brother felt the need to defend her honour so vigorously.

"Gentlemen," the vocalist said cheerfully, holding up his palms and successfully slicing through the rising tension. "Let's not forget our manners. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Miroku Tsujitani."

"Kouga Ookami," the wolf said with a grin, "Nice to meet all of ya."

When Inuyasha remained silent, Kouga elbowed him in the ribs. "Inuyasha Taisho," he said gruffly, and Kagome's spirits fell. He didn't even want to admit that they'd met. They'd been together for three years and now he didn't even want to acknowledge her as an acquaintance.

Sango said her name with a polite nod and Kohaku introduced himself in a voice that was almost combative. Inuyasha snorted derisively at Sango's little brother and Kagome found her temper rising. Kohaku was a good kid and he didn't deserve to be scorned by someone he looked up to. "Kagome Higurashi," she said tightly when everyone's eyes turned to her. Niceties out of the way, the conversation lagged for a moment.

"So, who was it?" Kohaku asked.

"Pardon?" Kagome stalled, certain that she had understood the boy's question.

"Who did you run into?" Kohaku pressed. Sango fixed her with a questioning look that made her want to squirm.

"Oh… umm," she stuttered, unable to prevent the way her eyes darted towards Inuyasha. He subtly shook his head. Even if Kagome hadn't known him, it was impossible to misinterpret his look of warning. "It was no one," she forced a laugh. "A case of mistaken identity."

"Who'd you _think_ it was? Who could manage to upset you so much that you would miss the entire concert?" Sango asked, sounding baffled by Kagome's uncharacteristic behaviour. Kagome wished her friend had been more circumspect.

"It doesn't matter," she said, trying to wave the question away. Sango's eyes narrowed suspiciously and Kagome sighed in defeat. She really didn't want to talk about this but she doubted that the others would let it go. Her disappearance had caused too much commotion for them to allow her to deflect their questions. Perhaps it was better to cut her losses and go with something that at vaguely resembled the truth. She'd never been very good at lying.

"I thought it was an old ex-boyfriend," she admitted, looking at her feet. If they didn't stop asking such probing questions soon she'd probably start crying again. She breathed deeply and set her jaw. She had to stop feeling sorry for herself. It took two people to fight the way she and Inuyasha had the day they'd broken up. He deserved at least half of the blame. She forced herself to smile and was astounded when Miroku casually draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her into a loose hug.

"Ah," he sighed, "troubles of the heart plague us all. I'm sure your beauty will help you find a more worthy suitor." Kagome choked, so startled by his familiarity that she didn't know what to say. Behind her she heard Inuyasha scoff and she quickly shrugged out from Miroku's loose embrace. Mortification slowly began to transform her stomach to lead when Inuyasha mumbled something inaudible under his breath.

"You got something to say, Dog-shit?" Kouga demanded. Inuyasha's ears flattened to his skull and for a moment he looked like he wanted to kill his friend.

"It's okay," Kagome said hurriedly. Even if the others thought Inuyasha was being terribly rude, Kagome knew that he was truly showing exceptional restraint. The last thing she wanted to do was to cause a fight between friends. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused." She bowed. Even though this was North America, old habits were difficult to break. "We should be going, it's probably getting late. We've taken up too much of your time already."

"What's this?" a cold voice carried from the rear of the stage area. "Why has no one finished striking the stage?" The striped dog demon walked forward, clearly unimpressed to find that his colleagues had not finished their tasks. "The set-crew will be here in minutes to start dismantling the venue."

"I'm sorry. It is probably my fault," Kagome apologized. Her eyes darted towards the arena's exit and then back to the demon. He hummed low in his throat before he leapt from the stage and strode towards them.

"You will leave and allow us to complete our work," he said evenly, fixing Kagome with an unsettling golden-eyed gaze. She blinked. How had she ever thought that this expressionless man resembled Inuyasha? The dog demon was absolutely impassive. His stoic stare made her skin crawl.

"It's a shame that you three weren't able to properly enjoy the concert," Miroku said, blatantly ignoring the look he was receiving from the dog-youkai. "Why don't you join us for our next concert? We will be performing at the Underground next week. Unfortunately, there are age restrictions in place, so I fear that young Kohaku may be unable to attend." The vocalist sent Sango's brother an apologetic look. The boy shrugged but gave his idol a tentative smile.

"Really? You're inviting us?" Sango asked, her eyes beginning to sparkle with excitement. "That sounds great. We were really looking forward to the concert," she said, casting a quick look over to Kagome. "It's too bad that things worked out the way they did. You guys are very kind." Kagome was beginning to wish that the ground would just open at her feet and swallow her up.

"Thank you again," Kagome forced herself to say. How was she ever going to brave a second concert? Even if the angry lyrics they sang weren't really about her, it was nearly impossible for her not to read into things. "Sorry for the inconvenience." She grabbed Sango's hand nearly dragged her friend out of the arena.

"See you girls at the Underground," Kouga called after them.

**xxxxx**

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshomaru hissed before the three figures had even made it past the gates. Inuyasha's chest tightened as he tore his eyes away from Kagome's departing form. How the hell was she able to do this to him? He felt like he was eighteen again. A single whispered apology along with a couple of tears and he was almost ready to gather her in his arms and comfort her in any way he could. He set his jaw stubbornly, and turned his attention back to his half-brother. "What has happened to all of you tonight? This behaviour is absolutely inexcusable."

"It's not what it looks like," Miroku began, but he wilted under the strength of the Inu youkai's stare.

"This time the letch is telling the truth," Inuyasha found himself saying. His lips seemed to be moving against his will. His inner youkai strained to savour the last of Kagome's fading scent. "That one girl was missing."

"So you say," his brother replied, unmoved.

"Sango and her brother missed most of the concert because they were so worried about their friend, Kagome. I thought that they deserved to be rewarded for their efforts," Miroku continued, refusing to back down.

"Finish with the equipment," the Sesshomaru said imperiously. "We'll talk about this later," he promised, earning grimaces from his band-mates.

Miroku visibly relaxed when the older demon strode back to the stage. Kouga elbowed the letch and grinned. "That Kagome chic looked good enough to eat," he said and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "She's definitely my type of woman." Inuyasha closed his eyes and tried not to imagine ways to gut his friends.

"Ah, yes," Miroku agreed with a laugh. "And it sounds as though the ex-boyfriend is out of the picture for good. Perhaps she would allow you to _comfort_ her," he grinned. Inuyasha grit his teeth with such force he was surprised he didn't chip the tips off his fangs. "I must admit that Sango is more my type," Miroku continued obliviously. "There's a certain... fire to her. Kagome seems a bit meek for my taste. She seemed almost too nervous to speak with us."

"Meek or not, I don't know if that woman is really finished with her ex," Kouga said, looking a bit frustrated. "She was wearing a ring." Inuyasha's ears pricked.

"What? Really? I didn't see a ring," Miroku said, bemused.

"Of course not, Letch, you were too busy staring at Ponytail's chest," Kouga laughed. "She wasn't wearing it on her finger; it was on her necklace. Plain gold, like an engagement ring."

Holy fuck. Inuyasha felt as though he'd been clubbed over the head. Kagome still had the ring. How had he missed something like _that_? "I need a drink," he declared, turning back towards the stage where Sesshomaru was busily tucking their equipment away. From the look of his half-brother's narrowed eyes, they were all in for an earful later for their slacking. Inuyasha found he didn't want to deal with _any_ of it. "I _really_ need a drink," he repeated, pulling the tie from his hair and starting to shake out his braid.

"Seriously, Inuyasha, are you going to tell us what's up?" Kouga asked, as he and Miroku fell into step behind him. Kouga was really worried, he realized with a grimace. Inuyasha couldn't even remember the last time the wolf had used his given name.

"_She_ was at the concert tonight. Near the front," he admitted.

"Who?" the wolf asked before his brain caught up to his mouth. "Holy shit," he breathed. "You mean the she-devil?!" He choked. "The _ex_?!"

"Got it in one, Hair-brain," Inuyasha said and sighed in an attempt to relieve his tension. "I thought I'd dealt with it, but... she just gets into my head, you know?" he growled. He grabbed a trashcan and began to toss out the remains of his ruined guitar.

"Ah," Sesshomaru said from somewhere behind him. "Your infantile behaviour begins to make sense." He snorted. Coming from Sesshomaru the insult sounded almost like empathy.

Miroku patted his back sympathetically. "Tonight, my friend, drinks are on me."

"You'd better have a deep wallet," Inuyasha warned with a wry smile.

**xxxxx**

"Spill it," Sango demanded the minute they got in the car. Kagome buckled her seatbelt and tried not to frown. "I've known you for four years, Kagome," her friend continued more gently. "The entire time we were in university together you didn't have a single date. Even when that cute Hojo guy asked you out, you turned him down." Sango glanced in the rear-view mirror and pulled out of the parking stall. "What happened?"

"The last time I had a boyfriend I was still in Japan," she admitted. "Things got pretty bad."

"You must have been in high school," Sango mused. "How bad could it have possibly been?" Kagome choked back a laugh. Did Sango think that love didn't exist before the age of twenty? Age had nothing to do with emotion.

"Sango, if Kagome doesn't want to tell us, she doesn't have to," Kohaku spoke up from the back seat and Kagome was touched by his sensitivity. Sango's brother was such a kind boy. He reminded her so much of her own brother.

"I... I don't think I'm ready to talk about it," she admitted softly, haunted by the memory of Inuyasha's furious golden eyes. Though it had been a shock to see him, Kagome couldn't bring herself to regret attending the concert.

"I didn't mean to press," Sango said, abashed. "I just want you to know that if you ever need to talk about it, I'm here for you. I hate seeing you so upset." Sango reached over and squeezed her hand in a gesture of support that made tears brim in Kagome's eyes.

"I know, Sango," she said in a thick voice. She was lucky she had such good friends.

**xxxxx**

"Take it easy, Dog-boy, or you'll be flat on your back tomorrow morning," Kouga warned as Inuyasha downed yet another shot. He grimaced as the liquid burned down his throat and fixed his friend with a rather unfocused look of irritation. He snatched the nearly empty liquor bottle back from the wolf's sad attempt at confiscation.

"Inuyasha, you're just going to make yourself sick," Miroku sighed.

"I don't want to remember," he muttered, pouring himself another. "I don' even wanna remember the Wench's name."

"What _is_ her name?" Miroku asked, sharing a significant look with Kouga.

"K... Keh!" he caught himself at the last moment. "I'm drunk, not stupid," he sputtered. Did they think he couldn't see them sending those meaningful looks to each other? Those two busybodies had been hounding him ever since they'd discovered that the fickle woman who was featured in so many of their songs was actually modeled after a real person. "I ain't tellin' ya nothin'. It ain't none a your business."

"Talking about it might make you feel a bit better," Miroku suggested in a pacifying tone.

"No way 'n hell," he said as strongly as he could manage. It was a bit difficult to sound firm when the world seemed to be swaying around him. Inuyasha downed his latest shot and then planted his forehead securely on the surface of their table. "Damn it," he muttered and closed his eyes against the turbulence. Miroku patted his back, and Kouga managed to pry the empty bottle from his fingers. "Why does she hafta be so..."

"So what?" Kouga prompted.

"So beautiful," he finished, pushing himself back up in his seat with considerable effort. The colour-filtered strobe lights winking at the back of the bar were starting to make his head ache. "Wasn't she beautiful?" he asked, turning towards his friends. "Damn, I love her legs."

Kouga sniggered. "I don't think I've ever heard you wax poetic before, Dog-shit. It's kinda unsettling."

"I always loved her legs. And those uniforms."

"Which uniforms?" Miroku asked.

"School uniforms. Had such short skirts – all green and pleated," he waved his fingers, remembering the many folds of the fabric. Inuyasha frowned. "Probably shouldn'ta said that."

"Interesting. Your 'Wench' is a Japanese girl you knew from your high school days," Miroku grinned. "That was quite some time ago."

"Four years," he answered without thinking and then swore. He was really drunk.

"No wonder you're so cranky Flea-bag. You need to find yourself a woman," Kouga teased merrily. "So what happened? You break up after graduation?"

"I ain't tellin'," Inuyasha said, placing his palms on the table and carefully rising from his seat. "Let's go home. I'm tired of all the stupid questions." Miroku obligingly tossed a bill down on the table. Kouga ducked under his arm but Inuyasha shoved him away. He teetered dangerously for a moment but managed to catch his balance. "I'm fine," he said. "Don't need help."

"You're seriously pickled, Mutt-face. You need the help," the wolf said and firmly grabbed a hold of his shoulders.

"Fine," Inuyasha mumbled, suddenly too tired to argue.

"It must have been startling to see her again after so many years," Miroku said as Kouga manoeuvred him out of the bar. Inuyasha breathed deeply when the fresh night air hit his face.

"I recognized her scent," he said. "Even after four years. It was like nothin' had chan... changed," his tongue caught on the facets of the last word.

"Well, ya did a good job holding yourself together on stage," Kouga said. "Well... Except for the guitar," he added almost as an afterthought.

Inuyasha snorted, and his stomach unexpectedly rebelled. "Uh..." he moaned, "I'm gonna..." It was too late.

"Damn it, Shit-face! Did ya really have to get my shoes?!"

**xxxxx**

**His lips trailed up the side of her neck, sending frissons of heat down her spine. "Kagome," he breathed, pressing his nose against the shell of her ear. "I love you," he whispered, pressing his body more tightly against hers. She gasped, burying her hands in his glorious silver hair.**

** "I love you too, Inuyasha," she said, too enthralled to worry about the embarrassingly breathy tone of her voice. She jumped when one of his hands encountered the flesh of her stomach. He splayed his palm just below her ribs, making an impatient noise when he bunched the fabric of her blouse and gently cupped her breast. She squirmed, nervousness beginning to swell within her. "Inuyasha, I'm not sure if…"**

** "I love you so much, Kagome," he mumbled, moving to capture her lips with his own. Her fingers smoothed the broad lines of his shoulders, gently trailing down the tightly corded muscle of his left arm. He surged against her, his denim-clad hips pressing her tightly against the mattress of his bed. Their kiss shattered.**

** She tossed her head, her eyes closed tightly against the pleasurable sensation. "Inu… yasha. We talked about this…" she whispered apologetically. She didn't want to refuse him, but it was the right thing to do.**

** "Marry me."**

**His movements stilled. She stared up at him, certain that she had imagined his words. His golden gaze was steady. "Marry me, Kagome," he repeated. The hand that had been idly tracing patterns on the skin of her abdomen retreated. He rolled off her and reached into his pocket to extract a small, black-velvet box. **

"**Inuyasha," she breathed, turning on her side to face him. Her heart felt like it was about to burst. "It's not because…"**

"**This isn't about sex, Kagome," he said sharply, and instantly she felt abashed. "I… I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he continued more tenderly. He fumbled with the small box, opening it and extracting the simple golden band with his claws. She bit her lip, watching as he gently grasped her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly.**

"**You know I'm leaving next month," he said, gently twining their fingers together, careful of his claws. "Come with me," he whispered, beginning to trail kisses down the side of her neck.**

**Kagome was reeling. She knew that Inuyasha loved her, but if she was truly honest with herself she had never expected her scruffy, hanyou boyfriend to pluck up the courage and propose. When he had told her he would be moving away from Japan only a month after high school graduation she had thought she would lose him forever. Their relationship had always been turbulent, but Kagome had never doubted her feelings for him. Despite his gruff exterior, she knew he had a tender, caring heart.**

** "Yes," she said, though it came out as more of a moan when he began to gently nibble at the base of her neck. She felt him grin against her collar bone and suddenly...**

...the phone rang. Kagome's eyes popped open with a dry scrape. She kneaded her eyes with her fists and grimaced at the tight sticky feeling that came from having cried herself to sleep. She rolled over and answered her cell phone when it began its high trill a third time. "Hello?" she mumbled, fighting through the bitter-sweet haze that was left in the wake of her dream. Things between her and Inuyasha had disintegrated so quickly after his proposal.

"Kagome," Sango's cheerful voice emerged from the phone's circuitry. "I'm coming over, okay? I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Sango, I just woke up," she began. "I don't really..."

"I'm coming over," Sango said firmly. "You need a friend right now, even if you think you want to be alone." Kagome snorted. Sango could be so hard-headed sometimes.

"Okay, okay," she relented. "I'll see you soon."

**A/N: I changed the story summary to better fit the overall plot but I didn't alter the first chapter. I'm almost finished my edit of 'Second Time's the Charm', but I'm nowhere close to wrapping up this story. Thanks for reading.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: ****Rumiko Takahashi is the brilliant creator of**** Inuyasha. Jane Austen is the author of the classic novel ****Persuasion****. No money is being made from this work, and copyright infringement is not intended.**

**Chapter 3**

"Alright," Sango huffed, collapsing onto Kagome's worn couch and setting a plastic bag on her lap. "I brought entertainment," she announced and began to unpack an assortment of DVDs onto the coffee table. "I also brought snacks," she sung, extracting a clear-plastic tray that displayed a variety of baked goods.

"Sango, I told you, I just woke up. It's a little early for dessert," Kagome said, unable to prevent herself from eyeing the delectable little cupcakes and cookies. She adored the sweets from the little cafe just around the corner and her friend knew it. Kagome knew a bribe when she saw one; Sango was probably dying of curiosity. Kagome knew that if their roles had been reversed she probably would have resorted to prying by now. She was lucky Sango had more restraint and hadn't started grilling her. She folded herself onto the couch and clung to her cup of coffee. "I'm alright, really. You didn't have to do this."

"Kagome," her friend scolded, but said nothing more. Kagome blushed. She knew she looked terrible even after she'd taken a shower. The fact that Sango hadn't commented on her sunken eyes or her chapped nose was a sign of just how concerned she was. Kagome set her jaw and vowed that from now on she wouldn't let Inuyasha get to her. She hated feeling sorry for herself. He'd obviously moved on, so why should she let their unexpected meeting disrupt her life?

"I was just going to relax this afternoon," she warned. "I'll probably be terrible company." Her words only made Sango smile. "I have a shift at the museum later, so I have to cook or I'll starve for the rest of the week," she continued.

"Are you out of excuses yet?" she asked with a teasing quirk of her eyebrows. "We can do whatever you want," she said. "I'll even help you cook."

Kagome chuckled. It was a long standing joke between them that Sango was incapable of even boiling water. Her friend was much more comfortable in the dojo than in the kitchen. Sango had been helping run a local self-defence school for as long as Kagome had known her. She was sure that the Yajima family had lived on a diet that consisted solely of take-out before Kohaku had stepped up and taken responsibility for the more domestic tasks.

"I think it might be safer if I do the cooking," Kagome laughed, starting to feel more like herself. Perhaps Sango was right and company was exactly what she needed. "It won't take too long and I don't have to work until three," she said. "If I get started right now, we might even have time for a movie."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said.

When Kagome was finished drinking her coffee they migrated into the kitchen and began to prepare the food. Though her studio was rather cramped, the kitchen had all the counter space Kagome had ever needed. When she'd gotten her job at the museum she'd been delighted to find the apartment. The rent was bearable for a young student who was just starting to work for a living and the location was decent. Though she couldn't afford to live in the downtown core, the commute to work was negligible. She knew that Mama and Souta had hoped that she would return to Japan after graduation, but Kagome had found a place for herself in North America. If she was truly honest, she couldn't imagine moving back to the Sunset shrine after everything that had happened between her and her grandfather.

"You alright?" Sango asked, gently bumping Kagome's elbow. She blinked and realized she'd been staring into space. She quickly stirred the frying vegetables and shook her head to clear it.

"I burned it," Kagome muttered, using her wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. She dumped its contents into a large bowl and set the pan in the sink to soak.

"It's still edible," Sango said, peering into the bowl. Kagome snorted. Coming from Sango, 'edible' wasn't much of a consolation.

"You're right," she agreed, determined to remain positive. "I probably won't even notice." She turned back to the stove and tested the boiling noodles. She tore one in half and passed a piece to Sango who nibbled on it pensively.

"What were you thinking about?" she asked, watching as Kagome deftly strained the noodles over the sink.

"My grandpa," she admitted. She placed the noodles into the same bowl as the fried vegetables and used her wooden spoon to toss them together. "We used to get along, but before I moved here for school we were always fighting."

"It must be awful to fight with family like that," Sango said, wincing in sympathy. Kagome had always been a little envious of Sango's tightly-knit family. Mr. Yajima and Kohaku reminded her of how much she missed Mama and Souta. She even missed Gramps sometimes, although she still hadn't managed to forgive him for his meddling.

"Yeah, it was," she agreed and then turned towards her friend. Kagome had always thought of herself as honest and straight forward but within the last two days she'd lied and kept a secret that was quickly growing into a crushing burden. She wanted to tell Sango about her past but she hesitated because she wasn't the only person the story involved. What would happen if someone else discovered that she was the woman who starred in Inuyasha's angry music? She set her jaw, suddenly furious that he still had so much of an influence on her. She couldn't let fear rule her life or ruin her friendships!

"I wasn't completely honest with you last night," Kagome admitted and Sango nodded, unsurprised. "I really _did_ see my ex-boyfriend at the concert. It wasn't a mistake."

"Let's sit down," Sango suggested, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the kitchen. They retreated back to the living room and settled on the couch. Sango popped the clear plastic lid off of the tray of baking and grabbed a cookie for herself. "Take your time," she said. Kagome grabbed a chocolate cupcake; she needed the boost.

"I can't tell you everything," she said after a long breath. "It's not just my secret to tell," she explained. Sango nodded and a slight frown creased her brow. "I don't think he's told anyone about our old relationship, so I... I should respect that."

"Kagome," Sango began, "if you feel that way, you don't have to tell me anything at all. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"You don't make me uncomfortable. I want to tell you everything, but..." she sighed. "I... I told you before that he was my boyfriend," she said, swirling her finger through the cupcake's frosting. "What I didn't tell you was that he was also my fiancé." Kagome held her breath. The silence was deafening.

"Wow," Sango breathed at last. "I had no idea,"

"Well, it didn't work out," Kagome forced herself to shrug. "We were young, only eighteen, and my Grandpa had never liked him, so..." she trailed off.

"So that's why you were fighting with your grandfather," Sango mumbled.

"Yeah," she nodded, turning on the couch and pulling her knees up to her chest. She pulled the paper liner away from the cake with such careful precision that it required her complete concentration.

"Did you get to speak with him last night?" Sango asked, still sounding thunderstruck by the idea that Kagome had been engaged, however briefly.

"Not really," she admitted. "I... I kinda froze. I had so many things I wanted to say to him, but... all I did was apologize." Kagome folded the paper into quarters and then set it down on the coffee table.

"What did he say?"

Kagome sniffed haughtily. "He said 'whatever'." It was easy to mimic Inuyasha's brusque manner, even after all this time. "He's so infuriating!" she growled. "I shouldn't have said anything at all."

Sango smiled at the sight of Kagome's temper. "So I take it you were the one to end things?" she asked.

"Well... not really. We just... fell apart," she admitted. "The fight was explosive. I can't even remember who finally decided that we were finished." After being together for three years, they had both known exactly what to say to inflict the most pain.

Kagome took a big bite of the cupcake and closed her eyes in an attempt to savour it. She was so upset she couldn't even taste the chocolate. She swallowed quickly. "Let's watch a movie," she suggested, grabbing the pile of DVDs from the table. She nearly scattered the collection when she found Inuyasha's face staring up at her from the top of the first dust cover.

"I borrowed that one from Kohaku," Sango explained cheerfully, misinterpreting Kagome's pause. "It's not a movie, but I think it should still be fun. It's like we're doing a little research before we go to the Underground next weekend," she said with a laugh. "That way we won't look like complete idiots because we're not familiar with their music. I still can't believe they asked us to come like that."

"Yeah," she agreed weakly. "I can't believe it either."

**xxxxx**

"Again," Sesshomaru intoned, beginning to sound aggravated. "We need a flawless performance for the recording. Nothing else will do," Inuyasha fought down his temper; yelling would just make the pain worse. The asshole had no empathy at all. He thought he was doing pretty well considering the way his skull threatened to crack open every time Kouga touched the drum set. Although the carpet-lined studio had excellent acoustics, the volume of their music in the enclosed space was enough to make a lesser person cringe.

"Sesshomaru," Miroku said cautiously as he slipped the play-back headpiece from his ears. "Perhaps now isn't the best time to record this track?"

"I'd like to see you do any better with a headache like this," Inuyasha grumbled, adjusting the strap of the unfamiliar bass guitar on his shoulder. He wished to hell he'd been in better control of himself last night. He'd still have his guitar and he sure as hell wouldn't have this hangover.

"Your headache is of your own creation, brother," Sesshomaru snapped. "We have a schedule to maintain. Your paltry excuses fail to impress me."

"Just give the Mutt a break, will ya?" Kouga muttered, and everyone blinked in surprise. Inuyasha didn't think he'd ever heard the cowardly wolf stand up to Sesshomaru. Inuyasha scoffed. His playing must be pretty damn terrible if the Flea-bag was willing to step in. "We have other things we could do," Kouga continued, shifting uneasily under the weight of Sesshomaru's stare. "We could work on that music video that's scheduled to start production next week."

"And what of the money we've spent to rent this recording studio?" Sesshoumaru asked with an arch of his brow.

"You calculative asshole," Inuyasha snapped. "Take it out of my cut if it makes you feel better." He shrugged off the shoulder strap of the borrowed guitar and set it back down on the studio stand. Even if he'd been able to play their song flawlessly, the hollow tone of the guitar bothered him. He'd have to search for another instrument that spoke to him like his last bass had.

"If you are willing to take responsibility for your actions, I will not protest," Sesshomaru nodded. "Jaken, Rin, we'll be leaving," the dog demon called to the two figures observing the session from the sound mixing room adjacent to the studio.

"Insolent hanyou," their manager grumbled as he waddled into the room. "You should be ashamed of wasting everyone's time! You are on probation until after Miasma's next concert and your salary will be docked accordingly," he said angrily. "No alcohol!" he ordered, waving a gnarled finger. Inuyasha snorted irritably. He found it impossible to be cowed by the little green imp. The top of Jaken's head barely reached the height of Inuyasha's knees.

"Believe me, I won't touch the stuff for a good long while," he muttered. The thought of drinking made his stomach roil. He clenched his teeth and began to wind the pick-up cord into loose coils. Jaken huffed, and crossed his arms over his chest. It was almost like the little demon was disappointed he hadn't argued.

"It's probably for the best," Kouga said cheerily, getting to his feet and stretching. "I don't think I've ever heard you as talkative as you were last night." Inuyasha froze. "I never would have pegged you for a leg-man," the wolf continued with a chuckle.

"Aww hell," he breathed, clearly remembering his drunken praise of Kagome's legs. "What else did I say," Inuyasha demanded, his voice hard with warning. He hadn't told them her name, had he? He'd actually been pissed enough that he might have let something like that slip.

"Chill out, will ya," Kouga said with a roll of his eyes. "You didn't tell us the Devil-woman's name or anything."

"You did, however, mention your fondness for green pleated skirts," Miroku said with a laugh. Kouga snickered. He'd mentioned her skirt? Damn it! Judging from the shit-eating grins on the faces of his two friends, he'd probably even admitted it was a high school uniform.

"Your reluctance to reveal the name of your ex-girlfriend only proves to us that you continue to harbour feelings for her," his brother said, sounding almost amused. "It's a blessing that your ill temper only seems to enhance the retail value of our albums. I wouldn't put up with you, otherwise."

"Sesshomaru!" Rin's scolding voice rang through the studio. Although his half-brother was the paragon of perfect posture, Sesshomau visibly straightened when their assistant manager walked into the room. While Jaken's green complexion made his brown-tweed business suit look rather odd, Rin Noto defied fashion conventions with feminine grace. Her hair was tied back, but it was secured at the nape of her neck by a ball-point pen. Her feet were clad in flat sandals but the gauzy, formal dress she wore was meant to be elegant office attire. While some might find the fashion combinations jarring, Inuyasha thought Rin's appearance perfectly reflected her carefree personality.

"Rin," Sesshomaru said and acknowledged the woman with a nod.

"Don't tease him," she scolded, waving a handful of papers at the stoic dog demon. "No one likes to be reminded of their past loves."

"Hn," Sesshomaru replied, and went back to packing away his guitar. Inuyasha shook his head. While it was always amusing to watch his prim older brother interact with their free-spirited assistant manager, he found he couldn't properly enjoy the situation. He hated being pitied. While he was certain Rin meant well, the sympathetic look she cast his way chafed his patience.

"And that goes for you two as well," she continued, eying Kouga and Miroku. "Leave Inuyasha alone. I think it's romantic that he still has feelings for his high school sweetheart."

Inuyasha's mouth fell open and he rounded on his two fair-weather friends. "You told her! Who else did you tell?"

"You vomited on my shoes, Dog-breath," Kouga replied, wrinkling his nose with distaste. "You deserve a bit of ribbing."

"This conversation grows tiresome," Sesshomaru drawled and flicked the metal latches that secured his guitar-case closed. "We should discuss the theme we wish to use for the new music video."

"What do you guys think about ancient history?" Miroku suggested with a twinkle in his eye.

**xxxxx**

Kagome walked into the museum and instantly felt as though a vast weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She breathed deeply and felt her spirit eased by the beauty of the building. It was impossible not to appreciate the grand architecture of her workplace when the domed skylights allowed sheets of sunlight to fall against the polished marble floor. Kagome smiled; she loved everything about her job.

"Ah, Kagome," her supervisor, Kaede Nakamura, said when she looked up from behind the front counter. "I'm glad you're early. We have a busy day today." As Kagome drew closer the older woman's eyes narrowed with concern. She looked away, embarrassed by the sudden scrutiny. "Are you all right, child?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly, unable to suppress a wince. "I didn't sleep very well last night, that's all." Though Kaede nodded in understanding, she didn't seem entirely convinced. "What's in store for us today? Is a tour bus coming in?" Kagome asked, eager to steer the conversation back on track. While she was genuinely fond of Kaede, she couldn't help but wish her emotions were a little less transparent.

"Not today, child," the old woman responded with a smile. "This is a special project. My niece called me this afternoon."

"The one who works for that media group?" Kagome interrupted curiously. While Kaede didn't have any children of her own, she was a doting aunt. Since she had started to work at the museum, Kagome had heard many tales of Kathrin's exciting job in the entertainment industry.

"The very same," Kaede agreed. "She will be coming by in about an hour for a historical consultation."

"Really?" Kagome asked, feeling excitement bubble inside her.

"I'd like you to help me set out some of the material we have in storage for the private viewing. She said they'll be producing a short video and want the costuming to be as authentic as possible."

**xxxxx**

"Is that everything?" Kagome asked, wiping her forearm against her brow. She'd spent the last forty-five minutes shifting display cases and lifting collection boxes. She was quickly learning that a historical consultation wasn't half as glamorous as she had imagined it would be. Although the work was quite a bit more physically demanding than she had anticipated, she felt a thrill of excitement every time she managed to unearth one of the old collections they'd been asked to display.

"I believe we are finished here," Kaede nodded. Kagome rested her hands on her hips and sighed, feeling suddenly nostalgic. She remembered helping her grandfather organize the shrine's collection of antiquities every summer. It had seemed like an onerous chore at the time, but Kagome was glad she'd had the experience. She'd grown up listening to her grandfather preach the importance of the shrine's history. While she'd blithely ignored him at the time, his values had been impressed upon her subconscious. It wasn't until her first history class in University that Kagome realized that she was genuinely interested in the field. "I'll take these last few cases up to the conference room," Kaede offered. "Why don't you take a break before our guests arrive?" Kagome nodded, grateful for the opportunity to freshen up. She held the door while the older woman wheeled the laden cart out of the storage area and then slipped off to the washroom.

She splashed her face with cold water in the hopes that it would rejuvenate her, but her skin remained unnaturally pale. She gently ran a finger across her right eyelid and winced. It looked like someone had punched her in the face. The unflattering fluorescent light only served to highlight the discrepancy between her ashen cheeks and swollen eyes. She'd tried to put on some makeup before she'd headed to work, but the effort had only seemed to emphasize exactly how haggard she looked.

Working with Kaede had allowed her to focus on something besides her past heartbreak, but now that she was alone thoughts of Inuyasha began to plague her once more. It was difficult not to think about him when looking at herself in the mirror revealed such a stark reminder of her sorrow.

"Cheer up, Kagome," she said to herself and then sighed. "Who am I kidding?" she muttered, and slumped against the tiled wall. There was no way she could conceal the fact that she'd spent most of last night crying. Though Kaede hadn't pressed her with further inquiries, it was obvious that the older woman had been concerned. Kagome wished that she could meet Kaede's niece on a day when she didn't look as though she had lost a fist-fight. She couldn't let shyness prevent her from doing her job, however, so she had to put on a brave face for a little while longer. Kaede had trusted her enough to ask her to help with the consultation, and Kagome wasn't going to let her down. She brushed the dust from her hair and exited the bathroom with renewed determination.

As she approached the door to the conference room she was surprised to hear male voices drift into the hall. She hastened her steps, worried that she had kept everyone waiting. She opened the door and slipped into the room, only to freeze in shock.

"Ah, here she is," Kaede said, ushering her into the room from where she stood, gripping the brass door-knob with white-knuckled fingers. Kagome walked forward, unable to hear over the pounding of blood in her ears. "I'd like everyone to meet…"

"Kagome!" Kouga grinned, showing a hint of fang. "You're not following me, are you?" he teased and she felt her lips quirk into something she hoped was more of a smile than a grimace.

"You have already met this woman?" a tiny, green demon demanded narrowing his eyes and fixing her with a sour look. She found it astounding that someone so small was capable of looking down his nose at her.

"Umm… I…" she stuttered, her mind whirling too quickly for speech. What were they doing here? Her eyes scanned the periphery of the oval room and she knees nearly buckled in relief when she realized that Inuyasha was absent.

"Kagome was one of the lovely ladies we met at yesterday's concert. She and her friend Sango will be joining us at the Underground," Miroku said genially when Kagome failed to answer the green demon's inquiry.

"It's nice to meet you, Kagome," a woman said, stepping forward and offering her a disarming smile. "Auntie Kaede has told me a lot about you."

"You must be Kathrin," she said, and found that this time her smile was mostly genuine. The woman's nose wrinkled in a way that made her seem years younger.

"Auntie Kaede has an aversion to nicknames," she laughed, sending a look of fond exasperation towards the older woman. "Everyone else just calls me Rin," she explained.

"I trust that you will not impede our work?" the striped dog demon asked, growing impatient by the prolonged niceties. He was obviously displeased by her presence.

"I assure you that Kagome is a very diligent employee," Kaede replied in her defence. Sesshomaru gave a non-committal hum that may have been either acknowledgement or disagreement. "Shall we continue to wait for the last member of your group, or should we proceed without him?" Kaede asked, glancing towards the door.

"It may be wise if we simply continue," Miroku sighed, but failed to provide an additional explanation. While Kagome was helpless against the flood of relief that surged through her, she couldn't help but wonder why Inuyasha was absent. Was he avoiding her? She stared at the singer for a moment, and was startled when he winked at her. At least it seemed like Inuyasha had continued to bite his tongue about their past.

"Certainly," Kaede said brusquely, and opened the manila folder that sat on the table before her. "Let's get started."

**A/N: I'm sorry it's been so very long since I last updated this story. I'd like to thank all of you who voted for Inuyasha: A Lyrical Persuasion in the Destined Awards! It's very inspiring to see that people are enjoying the tale.**


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